NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 21 
taken at Tooting Common in a ‘decaying oak, last summer.— 
N. C. Granam; Tulse Hill. 
Hummine or ACILIUS SULCATUS AND COLYMBETES FUSCUS.— 
Whilst Acilius sulcatus is humming it slightly raises the elytra and 
protrudes the tip of the abdomen; the tips of the wings are also 
often slightly advanced beyond the elytra. The sound is, I am 
convinced, produced by very rapid vibration of the wings under 
the elytra, for the tips of the wings may be seen in very rapid 
motion up and down, and the extremity of the body often appears 
slightly greyish from this vibration. If also the elytra, the 
prothorax, the head, or the tip of the abdomen, be touched with 
the point of a fine needle, the vibration may be very distinctly 
felt; and if this is carefully done the beetle will not discontinue 
its humming. The sound produced changes in its tone just 
previous to its ceasing, as it does immediately the beetle extends 
its wings for flight. During the humming the maxillary palpi are 
moved with a twitching motion, and the antenne are vibrated. 
These organs have, however, nothing to do with the noise 
produced, as they may be touched and stopped with the needle 
without causing any alteration in the sound. The male of 
Colymbetes fuscus I find hums in a similar manner, but not so 
frequently as Acilius sulcatus. Both males and females of 
A. sulcatus produce a similar sound.—A. G. Laxer; Court Hill 
Road,- Lewisham, November 6, 1878. 
OBSERVATIONS ON ACRIDA VIRIDISSIMA.—By a perusal of my 
friend Mr. Tenant’s paper on Acrida viridissima (Entom. x1. 183) 
and Mr. Hodge’s subsequent notes on the same insect (Entom. 
xi. 274), I have been induced to add thereto those of my own, 
which possibly may be interesting, and as this fine species is 
very local it may not be so well known to many. A short 
distance from this city (Norwich) there appears to be quite a colony 
‘of these insects, which seem to confine themselves to a radius of a 
mile or more, where I have for several years past been entertained 
by their nocturnal concerts in my ‘“mothing” expeditions. 
The males commence their stridulations just before sundown, 
which extend far into the night, and the performance of several 
of these insects in close proximity is almost deafening: the male 
only “sings,” but I suspect the female of uttering a faint chirp, 
but of this I am by no means certain. The male generally takes 
